A FEW WORD- TO TUMP-GROWERS. 99 



It is truly surprising that the cataloguing of Tulips has never been 

 agitated by any of the former wi iters in so widelv-circulated a work 

 as the Floricultural Cabinet. In this floricultural age,"when 

 the rage for flowers and floral exhibitions is spreading far and 

 wide over the whole length and breadth of our native land, from 

 Land's End to John o'Groat's, from the German Ocean to the Atlan- 

 tic, we are scarcely without complete information on the colours and 

 properties of almost all florists' flowers that are brought into compe- 

 tition, with the exception of the Tulip. Look at the Dahlia cata- 

 logues, for instance. How minutely are the different candidates for 

 public favour described, so that the purchaser may know all about 

 them, whether they are low or tall, constant or inconstant, hollow- 

 eyed or hard-eyed, cupped, pointed, large or small, &c. &c, before 

 he makes his selection. So far from complaining of this, I think it 

 is just as it should be. Again, with respect to the Pansy, we have the 

 excellent " descriptive catalogue " of Mr. James May, in the Febru- 

 ary Number, which cannot but be a luminous and satisfactory guide 

 for the intending purchaser of that favourite flower. And then, 

 what can the amateur who is in want of Ranunculuses desire better 

 than the excellent " descriptive catalogue " of Messrs. Tyso, of Wal- 

 lingford ? In it they may see the colours, &c, noted with every 

 care, so that they have no difficulty in selecting the varieties pos- 

 sessing the colours that they may happen to be deficient in, which is, 

 indeed, a decided boon to the purchaser. So far it is all plain sail- 

 iiuj with the florist, and the catalogues which render it so deserve 

 every commendation." 



But when we come to that favourite flower the Tulip, where shr.ll 

 " the Young Beginner " apply for information to guide him in his 

 purchases? Echo may answer, where? for here, Gentlemen, we are 

 left to stumble on in primeval and chaotic darkness. The amateur 

 Who may be anxious to import a few new-feathered varieties into his 

 neighbourhood may very probably, in the present state of the cata- 

 logues, stumble upon flamed ones, and vice rersd ; and thus the un- 

 certainty and confusion go on, and merely because there is no standard 

 to refer to as a guide for the enterprising florist. 



Shall this state of things continue Gentlemen? or will you not 

 rather unite, and, by taking notes of your flowers when in bloom, 

 confer that benefit on your brother florists at a distance, which you 



K 2 



